Inescapable
by AquaRias
Summary: AU, postRotJ,setAotC. There is no death, there is the Force. Anakin never really understood what Yoda had meant by that…not until he died, only to be given another chance at life. And this time, maybe he’s changed enough to avoid his descent to darkness.
1. Escaping the Inescapable

**Inescapable**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: AU, post RotJ. There is no death; there is the Force. Anakin never really understood what Yoda had meant by that…not until he died. Not until he died, only to be given another chance at life. And this time, maybe he's changed enough to avoid his descent to darkness completely…but then again, maybe not.**

**A/N: This is my first Star Wars fanfiction, so let's see how this goes, shall we? You'll have to forgive me if I get any Star Wars terminology and the like wrong; like I said I'm new to this. If I do get something wrong, and it's bugging you, then please drop me a line and let me know. The continuation of this story rests solely on reader interest; if you guys keep interested, then I'll keep writing it. Savvy? The chapters will normally be much longer then this, but as it is a prologue…**

**Chapter one: Prologue; Escaping the Inescapable**

Luke dragged him up, grasping the black cloak and dragging him up to face level. He stared at his son through the dark eye holes of his helmet, taking a deep rattling breath before speaking his last words to his only son.

"Luke…" He rasped, panting heavily with effort. "Help me take…this mask off…" Luke's worried face stared anxiously back at him, his blue eyes shining with compassion, even for a man that had nearly destroyed everything.

"But you'll die!" Luke gasped, staring anxiously at his father.

He shook his head slightly, cringing inwardly at the pain that the simple movement caused him. "Nothing…can stop that…now…" He paused for a breath, tilting his head up slightly to get a better view of his son. "Just…for once, let me…look on you, with my own eyes…" His voice strengthened with his resolve as his son nodded slightly. Luke then reached forward, hesitating for a moment, before tenderly grasping the sides of the helmet and gently sliding it off with a low hiss. He placed the helmet beside him, before turning back to his father. Luke then placed his hands on either side of the metallic mask, slowly pulling it off his bruised and broken face, placing it beside the helmet. Luke smiled at him, and after a short moment, he smiled back.

Luke placed a hand on his shoulder, his force energy swirling around him. He could feel nothing but compassion and empathy in his son's hold on the force…so very unlike his own. No, his grasp on the living force was tainted by darkness, a darkness that he would never truly be able to vanquish, so polluted was the tiny amount of good left in him.

"Now…Go, my son…" He rasped, his blue eyes meeting the identical ones of his son's. "Leave me…" He gasped, his voice cracking as the words got caught in his throat. Luke shook his head, refusing to believe the plain truth of the matter; Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker, Luke's very own _father_, was dying.

"No!" Luke cried, "You're coming with me! I'll not leave you here; I've got to save you!"

He shook his head, determination in his eyes. "You…already have, Luke. You were right…You were _right_ about me! Tell your sister…you were right." He smiled at his son, ignoring the pain of his aching muscles. He sighed slightly, almost…contentedly. His eyes drifted shut, blinking once, before closing again. The last thing he ever saw was the image of his son, having forgiven him. _He had been forgiven_.

…

_I always wondered what it would be like to die…I guess now I'll find out._

_Master Yoda always used to say,_

_There is no emotion; there is peace. _

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. _

_There is no passion; there is serenity. _

_There is no chaos; there is harmony. _

_There is no death; there is the Force. _

_There is no death; there is the Force._

_There is no death…there is the Force…_

_I wonder if that's true?_

_Death is something you spend your entire life preparing for. Life itself, is really just a prelude for death. Death is inevitable. Inescapable. Is it then cruel to give us life, only to ruthlessly snatch it away in the form of death? Would it be better never to know life, if only so that once you die you don't miss it? Afterall, you can't miss what you never had. No, perhaps I am not as prepared for my own death as I think I am._

_Alas, I do accept it. Want it? No. Ready for it? No. But death will come, whether or not I want it. Whether or not I feel ready for it. For death is the one fate that every living organism shares. We are all born, we all live, and then we all die. There are no exceptions. Ever. _

_Say Master Yoda was right. That there is no death, there is the Force. I know the Force exists; my very life is proof of that. What I am unsure of, is whether the Force replaces death. I wish I could believe that when we die, we return to the Force. _

_Who knows, maybe there is death…maybe there isn't. Either way, I am about to find out._

…

Anakin Skywalker opened his eyes, surprised and unsettled to find himself _alive_, and least of all, standing up. His eyes darted around the tiny space he was standing in, before flicking to the tall figure in a brown cloak who stood beside him. His arms were crossed in front of him, he wore an almost solemn expression. His hair was a browny-red colour, he sported a short beard that made him look older then he possibly was. It took a total of three seconds as Anakin stared at the man blankly, before recognition clicked. Then, he screamed.

…

Obi-wan Kenobi forwned slightly as he felt the Force shift subtlely around him. The sensation soon faded, and he turned to look at his young padawan. His blue eyes met the shocked lighter blue ones of Anakin, his frown deepening as a look of utter horror spread across the young man's face. Suddenly, Obi-wan jumped visibly as Anakin let out a shrill scream, backing away from his master.

"Anakin!" Obi-wan exclaimed, taking a quick step closer to his padawan. "Anakin, what's the matter?" Anakin backed away further, finally hitting the glass wall of the elevator. His eyes were widened in a look of utmost terror, and they were trained directly on his master. Obi-wan heard the faint ding as the elevator reached their floor, but he ignored it as he placed a hand on his padawan's trembling shoulder. There was a soft hiss as the doors opened, but that too went unnoticed.

"G-get away from me!" Anakin whispered, a tear falling from his eye. Obi-wan was utterly torn by his padawan's frightening behaviour; he had no idea what he had done to make Anakin fear him so greatly.

"Anakin look at me!" He pleaded. Obi-wan knew he sounded desperate, but the young man was like his brother. What could have shaken him so badly that he had reacted this way to his master? "Anakin, it's me! Obi-wan! Please tell me what's wrong!" He pleaded, grasping Anakin's shoulder tightly.

Anakin's eyes widened even more, as if he had just had his suspicions horribly confirmed. He trembled for a few more moments, before he fell limp against Obi-wan in a dead faint. Obi-wan caught his body easily, lifting him up effortlessly and striding out of the elevator, a grim expression on his face. He hurried down the corridor, calling out to the first thing he saw. He vaguely recognised it as the Gungan Jar Jar Binks whom Qui-gon had rescued before they had ended up stranded on Tatooine.

"Help me!" He shouted, gaining the Gungan's attention.

"Obi?" The Gungan paused, before rushing forward. "Obi!"

"Not now!" Obi-wan snapped, thrusting his padawan forewards. "My padawan needs immidiate medical attention!"

"Ofcourse! Mesa get you Captain Typhoo! Yesa mesa get you him rights awaysa!" With that, the Gungan hurried back down the corrider, reappearing only moments later with Senator Padme and a dark skinned man with a black eye patch in tow.

"I am Captain Typhoo. Jar Jar tells me you need urgent medical assistance?" The dark skinned man stated, striding foreward quickly.

"Yes, it is my padawan. He was perfectly fine one moment, we were having a normal conversation and he was acting as he normally does. Then, the next moment, I felt a very slight disturbance in the Force. I turned to look at Anakin to gather if he had felt it too, as he is more Force sensitive then I am. He looked abosloutly terrified of me! He backed away from me looking like I was the most horrifying thing he had ever laid eyes on. I stepped closer to him, and he stepped away. I cornered him against the wall of the elevator and grasped his shoulder, and he fainted." Obi-wan explained, forcing himself to reamin calm and practical.

Padme's eyes widened from behind Typhoo as she heard Anakin's name. "Anakin? As in Ani Skywalker from Tatooine?" Obi-wan merely nodded shortly as Typhoon examined his padawan.

Finally, Typhoo stepped back, shaking his head. "I'm afriad I know nothing of the ways of the Force, I am merely of her majesty's secruity service. Let us take him to the medical bay at the jedi temple. Perhaps they can help your padawan there."

…

"Odd, unexpected, and unexplainable young Skywalker's condition is. Carefully, you must watch him." Jedi master Yoda stated sagely, hovering cross legged beside the bed where Anakin lay.

"Of course Master Yoda." Obi-wan replied with a tense nod, before his attnetion returned to his padawan. "I do not understand it…what could possibly have caused this reaction in Anakin?"

"Know what has caused this I do not. Anything, it could be. Felt a strange sensation through the force, you said you did? Explain it, you shall."

Obi-wan nodded deeply to the small green jedi master. "It was an odd feeling…like the Force around us was being replaced or changed. It felt the same afterwards, but I definitely felt the transition of…whatever it was. Anakin started this at the same moment I felt the disturbance, maybe they are somehow linked."

"Doubt this, I do not. Likely it is that this disturbance you felt caused young Anakin's state. Nothing but wait and watch, we can do."

"What will happen to him Master Yoda? Will he recover?" Obi-wan's voice wavered slightly as he spoke, but if Yoda had heard it, he showed no signs of it.

"Always in motion the future is. No way to determine the out come there is. Call me you will, if changes your Padawan does." Yoda left with that, giving Obi-wan a curt nod in farewell.

Obi-wan turned back to his padawan, worry shining in his eyes. "Please recover Anakin…I need you."


	2. A New Reality

**Inescapable**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: AU, post RotJ, set AotC. There is no death; there is the Force. Anakin never really understood what Yoda had meant by that…not until he died. Not until he died, only to be given another chance at life. And this time, maybe he's changed enough to avoid his descent to darkness completely…but then again, maybe not.**

**A/N: Thankyou for all the interest last chapter! I didn't expect nearly that much. Thankyou also to everyone who kindly pointed out that Obi-wan has blue eyes not brown; I've gone back and changed that. Hope you don't think they're OOC, I ****did**** explain slight personality changes of you read carefully.**

**Chapter Two: A New Reality**

The first thing he became aware of once he felt himself drifting into consciousness was the fact that he could feel all of his limbs. And not just the phantom pains he had become accustomed to with so many prosthetic limbs, but he could actually genuinely _feel_ his arms and legs. His left ankle was slightly itchy; he amazed himself when he automatically reached down to scratch it. He felt his short nails impacting upon the skin on his ankle, and felt the itchiness subside. To anyone else it would have been odd, how such a simple action could mean so much to someone…but to Anakin, it did.

Once he had gotten over the shock of his renewed limbs, Anakin opened his eyes, blinking in the bright light that met his eyes. He shut them again quickly, blocking out the light that seemed to burn his sensitive eyes. He started slightly as he heard movement beside him, and opened his eyes once again.

His confused gaze fell upon the sight of a man in a brown cloak who yawned widely, opening his eyes and meeting Anakin's gaze. Anakin's eyes widened as the memories came flooding back to him; he remembered his death on the Death Star…His prolonged lingering between life and death…his awakening in an elevator beside this very same man. This man who was supposed to be dead, killed by Anakin's own lightsaber on the original Death Star.

The man's slight smile at seeing Anakin awake faded into a look of concern as Anakin shrank away from him, finally rolling out the other side of the bed and onto the floor. Anakin jumped to his feet, glaring at the man who so resembled his former master. "Who are you!" He snapped, his eyes narrowing in hatred for the man who _dared_ pretend to be Obi-wan Kenobi.  
Obi-wan frowned, standing up and peering curiously at Anakin. "Easy Anakin, it's me, Obi-wan. Do you not remember?" His eyes held deep concern for the young man in front of him who seemed to have forgotten who he was.

"You are not Obi-wan Kenobi." Anakin stated coldly, sneering at the startled older man. "I'll admit, the disguise is good, but you can not fool me. Who are you!"

"I don't understand Padawan! What has gotten into you?" Obi-wan asked, concern for his Padawan radiating in the Force energy around him.

"Do not call me that!" Anakin hissed, his eyes glaring daggers at the impostor. "You are severely uninformed if you think that this petty disguise would fool me. Obi-wan Kenobi has been dead for years! I would know, I killed him myself."

"What?" Obi-wan asked, shaking his head. "No, I am quite alive thankyou. If you do not believe me, then look at me through the Force. Use the Master to Padawan bond and see that I am indeed Obi-wan Kenobi and not some impostor as you are crazily suggesting!"

Anakin glared at the man for a few moments, before closing his eyes and tentatively reaching out with the Force. His mind connected with Obi-wan's mind, which was layed out open for Anakin to read. He probed at it slightly, before drawing back a little. Finally he extended the tendrils of his consciousness fully into Obi-wan's, merging his mind momentarily with Obi-wan's. Memories flashed by him as Obi-wan's force signature pooled around him, and a thin tendril of the Force connected his own mind to Obi-wan's, proving Obi-wan's identity beyond question. It was the Master to Padawan bond, fully intact and active.

Anakin pulled back sharply, opening his eyes and staring with a widened gaze into Obi-wan's own worried one. "M-master?" He whispered, hardly daring to believe what was obviously true. _But…how can it be? I watched him die. Hell, I __**killed**__ him! How can he be alive now, and looking like he did when I was a Padawan? How can __**I**__ even be alive...is this death?_

…

"M-master?" Obi-wan nodded, stepping forward hesitantly.

"Yes Anakin, it is me. Obi-wan." Blue eyes stared back at him blankly for a moment, before Anakin took a tentative step forward. When Obi-wan made no move to discourage him, he stepped closer still to his master, peering up at him, confusion evident in his voice as he spoke.

"B-but…how? You're dead." He whispered, shaking his head slightly.

Obi-wan grasped Anakin's shoulder, as if to assure him that he was real. "I don't know why you think me dead, Padawan, but I _am_ truly alive." Blue eyes widened slightly, and the next moment Anakin grabbed onto his master, burying his face in Obi-wan's robes. Momentarily shocked by his Padawan's strange show of affection, Obi-wan hesitated slightly, before gently circling his arms around Anakin. He heard a soft noise and was shocked even more when he realised that Anakin was crying. Anakin had not cried since he was a little boy; what could possibly upset him so that he cried now?

…  
Anakin felt like he had lost control of both his body, and his emotions. He also found, surprisingly, that he didn't really care. Figuring out what was going on could wait until later…right now he cared about nothing but the man whom he was desperately clinging to, the man he had once killed, and yet was now alive. He felt hot tears run down his face and realised with slight shock that they were tears of happiness. Happiness at seeing his old master _alive. _He knew it was strange for him to be so happy at the simple fact that his master lived, when he had been the one who killed him in the first place. It had not been an accident, it had been an intentional, purposeful killing. He had felt satisfaction in ending this man's life; this man who he had felt had held him back, resenting him for his power, jealous of his strength.

Why then, was he overcome with emotion to learn of his master's survival? Anakin didn't know, and nor did he particularly care. In all honesty he felt like a young Padawan again, seeking comfort from his master when things got difficult. Except…it hadn't been that way. Not when he had been Obi-wan's Padawan. There had always been a rift between them – like he was being held at arm's length. Anakin had always suspected that Obi-wan had resented him for Qui-Gon's death…

But right now, none of that mattered. Obi-wan was not rejecting his seeking of comfort, rather he seemed to be happy, if not a little surprised by it. Or at least, those were the feelings he was getting from the Force. He didn't understand it, and he didn't care right now. Caring would come later. Figuring out what the hell was going on would come later. Right now he would enjoy what comfort he could, before he was brutally slammed back into reality.

…

Obi-wan tightened his arms around his Padawan's body as Anakin leaned into the embrace, patting his back somewhat awkwardly as Anakin's tears dampened his robe. He was still confused, shocked and largely concerned by his Padawan's actions, but he decided to wait until Anakin calmed himself to try and figure out what had happened. After a few more moments, Anakin pulled away from him, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes and standing up straight.

"I apologise Master," he began, his voice wavering a little. "For my lack of decorum. It will not happen again." He stated stiffly, no emotions leaking through the newly erected shield that had sprang up around his Padawan.

"What happened Anakin?" Obi-wan asked, the deep concern he felt leaking into his words and into the Force surrounding him. Anakin flinched slightly at his words, before turning away.

"I need to meditate upon it before I tell you anything, Master. I'm afraid I don't really understand myself." With that, Anakin sat on the bed and withdrew into himself, beginning a deep meditation. Obi-wan sighed and settled into the chair beside the bed he had occupied earlier, preparing himself for the wait to come.

…

A good three hours later, Anakin withdrew from his meditation, feeling calm and at peace for the first time in a long time. He had forgotten the serenity of the light side of the Force in the time since he had begun using the dark side; and comparing them now without the addicting pull of the dark side to sway his decision, he thought he quite preferred the light side of the Force. He had not gotten far in terms of what had happened to him, all he had managed to figure out was that he was somehow around twenty-five years in the past. He didn't know how and he didn't know why, but he was. There was no other explanation, and a slight push of the Force told him that he was right. It didn't take him long after that initial realisation to figure out that he had been given a second chance. A second chance to make things right.

Left with that hopeful yet slightly disturbing though, Anakin opened his eyes, this time unsurprised to meet the eyes of his master. He felt a slight jolt of happiness as his gaze rested on Obi-wan, and it took him a moment to figure out that it was because he was actually genuinely _happy _to see the man he had killed, alive.

"Do you feel better now my Padawan?" Obi-wan asked, concern still evident on his face. Anakin nodded slightly, continuing to stare at Obi-wan. "Will you tell me what happened?"

Anakin thought for a moment, knowing he couldn't possibly tell him the truth. As much as he wanted to just leap into his comforting arm and tell him everything and have him make everything okay, he knew it wouldn't happen like that. So he quickly considered his options, finally deciding on an abridged version of the truth. "I had a vision," he began slowly, averting his gaze from his master's inquiring blue eyes.

…

"I had a vision." Anakin said softly, before glancing away from him. Obi-wan frowned slightly, wondering what kind of a vision could upset his Padawan so badly. He waited for Anakin to continue, but after a few moments it didn't seem like he was going to.

"A vision?" he prompted gently, gaining a slight nod in reply. "Will you tell me what you saw?" Anakin hesitated, before shaking his head. "Why not?" He asked, his concern for his Padawan radiating in the Force around him.

"It's not important." Anakin muttered, picking at the threads in the blanket beside him.

"I believe it is," Obi-wan probed, locking eyes with Anakin for a brief moment, before his Padawan looked away again. When he glanced back at his master, his gaze had taken on such a hollow, haunted look that Obi-wan had to restrain himself from stepping backwards.

"You died. I killed you. And then I died." His voice was emotionless, but Obi-wan could hear the slight tremble as he spoke and could feel the conflicting emotions bubbling just beneath the surface of Anakin's mind. The most prominent among them were anger, grief, and above all…fear. The amount of _fear_ his Padawan harboured was staggering.

"You saw your own death?" Obi-wan asked, his voice much, much calmer then he truly was. No wonder Anakin had been distraught; to see one's own death…it was hard to even comprehend how Anakin must feel.

"Yes…but my death was not the worst of it." The haunted look returned to his eyes as he stared off into the distance, pondering whatever horrible things he had seen.

"You…you said that you killed me?" Obi-wan could not help himself asking. It was just unthinkable that Anakin would ever, _could_ ever, kill his master.

Anakin nodded, a tear sliding down his face. "I killed you. You and so many others…" His voice trailed off, cracking slightly at the end with suppressed emotion.

In one stride Obi-wan was beside his Padawan, and he sat beside him, tentatively offering what comfort he could.

"Anakin, I am so sorry…" Obi-wan's voice trailed off as Anakin levelled him with a piercing look, before shaking his head.

"No, it wasn't your fault. I know that now…" He whispered quietly, almost too quietly for Obi-wan to hear.

"It was just a vision Anakin," He said gently, placing a hand on the young man's trembling shoulder. "It will most likely never come to pass. To quote Master Yoda, the future is always in motion. You must not let these visions cloud your judgement, or it may lead to your visions proving true after all. Do not discard them, but do not dwell on them either."

Anakin nodded slightly at his master's words, sighing to himself. _If only he knew what these 'visions' truly are…if only he knew._

…

Obi-wan strode down the corridor, after leaving his Padawan to get some rest. He would be the first to admit that Anakin's visions disturbed him, although he knew Anakin felt the impact of these visions much, much more deeply then Obi-wan did. He had decided to seek out Yoda, thinking that maybe the wise old troll would know something about these visions of Anakin's. He did not have to look for very long, he soon found the old master hobbling towards him from the opposite corridor.

"Obi-wan, changed your Padawan's condition has?" He asked in his strange way of talking, stopping in front of Obi-wan.

"Yes, Master Yoda, Anakin has awoken." He said softly, sighing as he remembered his dilemma.

"Said something to disturb you, he has?"

Obi-wan nodded. "Yes indeed."

"Tell me you will what your young Padawan has said or done to upset you so."

"He woke up about three and a half hours ago. At first there was no change, he was shocked and angry to see me. He then accused me of being an impostor, repeating that I was dead. That _he_ had killed me. After a while I convinced him to view me through the Force, to find our Master to Padawan bond. He did so, and finally accepted that I was who I said I was. He was very upset for some reason, he was crying as I tried to comfort him. Once he regained his composure, I asked him what had happened. He told me that he would first meditate upon it. Three hours later he came out of meditation. I asked him again what had happened; he told me he had visions of the future. He went on to explain that in these visions he had killed me, a lot of other people, and then he had suffered through his own death."

"Hmm…" The green master muttered, thinking carefully over Obi-wan's words. "Strange it is for a Jedi to have visions of his own death. Always in motion the future is, let this cloud his judgement he must not. Think on this I will, tell me you will if changes he does."

Obi-wan nodded and watched the Jedi leave, before turning and wandering back to the medical bay. He peered inside and smiled slightly to see his Padawan sleeping peacefully, before quietly closing the door and walking out. He milled around the hallway for a few minutes, before deciding to go to his favourite thinking place – The room of a thousand fountains.

Ten minutes later he found himself sitting on the edge of a large fountain, idly dangling his right hand in the cool, refreshing water. He was calm and peaceful as the serene Force shimmered around him, relaxing him completely so he was able to think more clearly.

He and Anakin had never been quite as close as he and Qui-gon had been. This was perhaps primarily his own fault, he could see that now. He supposed he had been unfair to the young boy after Qui-gon had died, providing none of the comfort that Qui-gon had for him. Thus he had been surprised when Anakin had latched on to him, seeking physical comfort from him for the first time since he had turned him away as a child. He wondered whether it was too late now to fix the rift that had been growing between them, or of he could somehow remedy his neglect of the lost little boy who had lost his mother by leaving Tatooine, and then someone who had been somewhat of a father figure when Qui-gon had died.

Obi-wan understood now that he had been afraid; afraid to let Anakin close to him after the tragedy of Qui-gon's death. It was, after all, the reason that the Jedi code forbade attachments to people. Jedi were supposed to accept death and move on. In a way, Jedi were expected to be inhuman. They were expected to ignore the emotions they felt, for according to the code, there is no emotion; there is peace.

For perhaps the first time, obi-wan was realising just how flawed the code really was. To ask a human to not _feel_ emotion, was to ask a human to be _in_human. To say that there is no ignorance, there is knowledge, is a contradiction in itself. For there is no knowledge without ignorance; after all, you must first be ignorant to be knowledgeable. You are not born with knowledge, you are born with ignorance. Knowledge follows only after ignorance, for without ignorance, there would be no need for knowledge.

Obi-wan frowned slightly as he thought, standing up and stretching slightly. He did not know what to think anymore. He didn't know what had happened to Anakin, and he certainly didn't know why the code was as it was. One conclusion that he _had_ reached, however, was that his distancing of Anakin had to stop. With this resolve in mind, Obi-wan headed quickly back to the medical bay, feeling an unexplainable urge to check on his Padawan.

…

Anakin sighed; he was very, very, incredibly _bored._ He _hated_ the medical bay, especially when he wasn't actually sick or injured, and for once, he was neither. He waited impatiently for his master to return, feeling a shiver of excitement at the very thought of his master. He was still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that his master was actually _alive_, and that he was in the past of all places.

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door. A wide grin spread across his face as he saw his master walking in the door. "Master! Finally! Now let's go, I'm sick of being here." Anakin didn't give Obi-wan a chance to respond before he leapt out of bed and strode over to where Obi-wan stood, an eyebrow raised slightly.

"And just where are we going my very young Padawan?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

A smile of pure joy lit up Anakin's face as he answered happily, "Flying of course!" _It has been so long since I flew with my __**real**__ arms in control!_ Anakin thought, feeling the excitement building up within him. He briefly wondered when an esteemed dark sith lord such as himself had become so childish, before shaking it off and deciding to act his physical age.

Obi-wan merely groaned as he was dragged out of the medical bay by his exuberant apprentice.


End file.
